Daniel Lim

Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Ir Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar made a working visit to five project sites in the Belait District yesterday.

The project sites are led by the Public Works Department (JKR), Ministry of Development (MoD) to improve the quality of life of citizens and residents in the district. These projects come under the 11th National Development Plan.

Legislative Council (LegCo) member and Acting Penghulu of Mukim Labi I Yang Berhormat Hanapi bin Mohd Siput, Deputy Minister of Development Dato Seri Paduka Ar Awang Haji Marzuke bin Haji Mohsin, Permanent Secretary (Infrastructure, Housing and Professional) at the MoD Ir Haji Amer Hishamuddin bin Pehin Orang Kaya Amar Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Zakaria, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Corporate and Laws) at the MoD Hajah Norhayati binti Haji Mohd Yaakub, Acting Director General of Public Works Haji Md Salleh bin Haji Karim, department heads and MoD officials joined the working visit.

The contingent first visited the Kuala Belait and Seria Municipal Board Area project to inspect the upgrading of integrated services infrastructure works. At the parking lot beside Tudong Saji, the contingent conducted an overview of the project, including the upgrading of the surrounding drainage system (in the town area of Kuala Belait and Seria). This will reduce the risk of flooding in the area. JKR estimates the project will take 24 months to complete.

The next stop was at the heart of Seria town to observe the upgrade of the sewage system in Kuala Belait and Seria Municipal Board Area, which carries a BND4.2 million cost.

The project, which started on March 3, 2020, is 25 per cent complete. The upgrade is led by JKR (Belait and Tutong districts) with Astal Engineering Sdn Bhd as the contractor. This project will ensure the sewage system is operating as intended, issues (such as blockage) are fixed using robotically controlled pipe inspection tools, and will help reduce maintenance cost of the whole sewage pipe system.

The project will run until September 2, 2022.

The contingent then headed to the area near the Sungai Bera Industrial Area to observe a project to replace/upgrade the pipes carrying the primary water source from the Badas Water Pump to the Seria Water Treatment Plant, spanning over 10km.

The project, started on January 20, 2020, is expected to be completed by January 19, 2022. JKR is leading the project, with Impian Reka Bina Sdn Bhd as the contractor. This project aims to ensure the pipes are supported to prevent leakage from cracks that may form due to ageing pipe support.

The site is also home to another project, which aims to relocate, replace, and upgrade existing pipelines from the Seria Water Treatment Plant to the Sungai Bera Industrial Area Water Tank and the Badas Water Pump Station.

This project (at an estimated cost of BND916,840) aims to ensure the quality of the water produced from the Seria Water Treatment Plant can be further improved. The pipes are being replaced with steel and MDPE (Medium-density polyethylene) variety, which are long lasting and durable to withstand the weather and surrounding environment.

The project commenced on June 29, 2020, and will be completed by June 28, 2022.

The final site visit was to Kampong Lumut to observe upgrade works on the catchment and drainage system, aimed to help reduce the risk of flooding in the area and prevent the build-up of stagnant water which can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The 24-month-long project is slated to start soon.

In an interview with the Bulletin, Yang Berhormat Hanapi said the projects will improve the quality of life of the people in the area.

“A majority of the projects aim to help reduce the risk of flooding. Some (such as at Badas – where the pipe supports and pipes are being replaced and upgraded) will improve the quality of life,” he said.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Azlan Othman

Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar attended the commissioning of the new Philips Azurion Bi-plane Angiography System at Gleneagles JPMC yesterday.

The commissioning of this new system supports Gleneagles JPMC’s commitment to continuously upgrade its facilities, improve its services and provide the highest level of care to residents of Brunei Darussalam and the region.

This industry leading image-guided therapy platform allows physicians to perform procedures with precision and ease. The system’s unique Dual Fluoro configuration allows live magnification of fluoroscopic images twice the normal range without increasing the dose of radiation.

Members of the Board of Directors; and Gleneagles JPMC Sdn Bhd, and Chief Executive Officer of Gleneagles JPMC Dr Peter Tay was also present. Chief of Clinical Services and Director of Surgery at Gleneagles JPMC Dr Eugene Sim said the first cases of coronary angiography and coronary artery stenting in Gleneagles JPMC were performed in 2003.

Since then, Gleneagles JPMC has continued to see an increase not only in the numbers, but also the complexity of diagnostic and interventional procedures each year.

In 2019, Gleneagles JPMC performed 3,144 diagnostic and interventional procedures, consisting of 1,266 coronary angiograms, 804 cases of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and 112 electrophysiological studies and interventions, among others.

Since Gleneagles JPMC started operations, the centre has continuously provided tertiary and quaternary cardiac services to residents of the country as well as the region.

Over the years, Gleneagles JPMC has marked many milestones and achievements. These include being the first centre in Borneo and one of the first in the region to perform an endovascular stenting for aortic aneurysms in 2005; Thoracoscopic ablation for Atrial fibrillation in 2006; Implantation of the Watchman device for left atrial appendage closure; Gleneagles JPMC’s commitment to continuously upgrade its facilities in 2012; and Mitra Clip insertion for Mitral valve repair in 2014.

In 2013, it was the first centre in Borneo and one of the first in the region to acquire the CARTO mapping system and to perform radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation.

In 2014, it was the first centre in Borneo and one of the first in the region to perform successful implantation of a left ventricular assist device. In 2016, Gleneagles JPMC performed its first case of Trans catheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI). Since then, it has performed over 20 cases. It is the only centre in Borneo accredited to perform this procedure.

Gleneagles JPMC has also served as a regional centre for research and training.

They have participated in multicentre clinical trails, provided live transmission of procedures to other countries and also trained their own cardiologists and those from neighbouring countries in coronary intervention.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Aziz Idris

Thirteen local eateries have participated in the Healthy Dining Programme, an initiative by the Health Promotion Centre (HPC) of the Ministry of Health (MoH) to promote healthier dining habits among the public.

Beanery & Co Cafe in Kuala Belait is the latest eatery to meet the programme criteria by having 58 per cent of its menu to be considered healthier choices.

Beanery & Co Owner and Manager Nerissa Yap received the certificate from Senior Medical Officer Dr Norsilmi binti Haji Mat Zainin in her capacity as the guest of honour.

With the certification, all food and beverages considered to be healthier options will be labelled with a Healthier Choice Logo on the menu.

HPC hopes more food outlets will take the opportunity to be more creative, innovative and supportive of healthy eating practice in Brunei Darussalam, fulfilling the needs of customers who want to stay healthy.

It also hopes more eateries will collaborate together with the MoH to achieve its Vision 2035 – ‘Together Towards a Healthy Nation’ and Brunei Vision 2035: High Quality of Life.

Spearheaded by the HPC, the programme aims to create a local market environment for healthier eating choices; and foster the culture and practice of healthier food choices among the food outlet owners, managers and customers.

The minimum criterion of the programmer for participating food outlets is to serve at least 25 per cent of healthier choice options.

The menu will be analysed by trained professionals following guidelines provided by HPC. Participating food outlets must also cater for less sugar, less salt or less oil options.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Rokiah Mahmud

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam made an unscheduled visit to Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) in Gadong yesterday.

Upon arrival, His Majesty was greeted by UNISSA Rector Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal. His Majesty’s visit commenced at the Administration Section followed by having a closer look at lecture rooms and other infrastructure including the canteen and surau.

His Majesty then toured UNISSA’s residential college for a closer look at the safety and comfort aspects. Currently some 119 students stay at the male hostels and 180 at the female hostels.

In the first year when the university was established in 2007, some 107 students began their tertiary study at the first Islamic university in Brunei Darussalam.

UNISSA currently houses some 1,500 students. UNISSA also became a centre of study for 181 students from 25 countries.

Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah and Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman were also present.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Rokiah Mahmud

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam called for the immediate construction of Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali’s (UNISSA) new campus in the Temburong District, in a titah delivered during an unscheduled visit to the
university yesterday.

“With the completion of the Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge, it is our hope that the construction of the UNISSA campus in the Temburong District will take place,” said His Majesty.

“This project is significant for the Temburong District and for Brunei Darussalam too, as a symbol of how Islam is preserved and promulgated in this country.

“I do not want any excuses as to why this project should not be carried out. What is relevant here is that UNISSA must prepare for a new era with a new building.”

“The preparations should incorporate state-of-the-art university management and administration, empowerment of existing faculties, and enhancing the overall performance and quality of the academic staff, without neglecting the students’ accomplishments.

“Regarding the prospective location of UNISSA in the Temburong District, it would be quite fitting for the university to have a new faculty on agriculture, since the sciences of agriculture, animal husbandry and the like are also part of Islamic teachings.

“From my point of view, although we may not have a higher educational institution for agriculture, having our own agricultural faculty is quite sufficient to meet the requirements.”

Earlier, the monarch described UNISSA as the country’s leading Islamic university, whose role is to produce authentic Islamic scholars.

“It is generally known that Islam has been given labels such as liberal Islam, moderate Islam and so on.

“However, our country has no interest in such labels – we only know it as pure Islam or Islam as delivered by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh),” said His Majesty.

“Apart from producing authentic Islamic scholars, UNISSA acts as a buffer against iniquity and slurs on Islam…As with other higher educational institutions, it has its own set of qualifications, but they are not meant to be  flaunted about.

“This reflects an unhealthy attitude – as a progressive higher educational institution, UNISSA must constantly be engaged with academic works and research, in addition to being responsive towards all matters related to education.”

Borneo Bulletin Online

Brunei Shell Marketing Company Sdn Bhd (BSM) hosted a business partners engagement at the Main Auditorium of the Design and Technology Building yesterday. The engagement was an opportunity for BSM to connect with business partners on its newly launched Shell Helix Power and Shell Rimula R6 products, along with the upcoming range of Shell Car Care products.

BSM Managing Director Muhammad Norshafiee bin Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil attended the event.

BSM conducted product knowledge sessions on its newly launched lubricant products. Shell Helix Power 0w 40 is the latest high-performance lubricant to hit the shelves in Brunei Darussalam together with the Shell Rimula R6, a fully synthetic diesel engine oil that promotes superior cleansing and protection to diesel engines.

BSM also shared an overview of its upcoming range of Shell Car Care for customers seeking easy-to-use products for their vehicles. Shell Car Care includes products for glass cleaning, interior and exterior car care, maintenance and performance liquids.

Attendees also had the chance to better understand the upcoming digital loyalty platforms developed exclusively for BSM’s business partners. The platforms will manage incentives for partners and help them manage their businesses with real time reports and statistics on its
business performance.

The business partner engagement was held in two separate sessions, in the morning and afternoon, and was participated by some 100 attendees.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Hakim Hayat

The Community Development Department (JAPEM) teamed up with the National Association for the Hearing-Impaired (OKP)to launch a three-day workshop on basic sign language for senior citizens at the National Service Programme (PKBN) Camp in Batu Apoi, Temburong District yesterday.

The workshop was organised in conjuction with International Day of Older Persons.

Legislative Council (LegCo) member and Penghulu of Mukim Bokok Yang Berhormat Haji Emtan bin Haji Sabtu was the guest of honour.

Deputy Permanent Secretary (Culture) at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Dr Siti Norkhalbi binti Haji Wahsalfelah also attended.

Twenty-two participants from the Senior Citizens Activity Centre (PKWE) Temburong and the village consultative council of Temburong District will learn the use of hand shapes to spell alphabets and numbers; basic communication as well as participate in role-playing exercises.

According to Acting Head of the Differently-Abled Individuals at JAPEM Irnawati binti Haji Mahir, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, age should not be a barrier for senior citizens to be active in activities that contribute to the development of the country.

She said it is vital for members of PKWE to continue taking advantage of opportunities to acquire new skills. Sign language should be given more exposure to fill the communication gap between the community and the hearing impaired in sharing information, knowledge and ideas, according to JAPEM.

JAPEM hopes the workshop, that will be extended to PKWE in other districts, will raise awareness and exposure to the community on ways to communicate with the hearing-impaired. JAPEM also stressed the importance for the community to have some knowledge of sign language and use it as a life-long learning tool.

As of August, 238 individuals with hearing impairment were registered with the OKP in the country.

Borneo Bulletin Online

James Kon

Brunei Darussalam marked a week without new COVID-19 cases yesterday keeping the national tally of confirmed cases at 146.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) took 108 samples for testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the past 24 hours and carried out 62,811 tests since January 2020.

The latest information of COVID-19 as of noon yesterday was shared by the MoH in a press release.

Some 361 individuals are undergoing mandatory self-isolation at government monitoring centres after arriving from abroad while 6,830 have completed their stint since March 2020.

MoH reminded the public that those wanting to take SARS-CoV-2 swab test for travel abroad must take it three to five days before the flight – subject to the terms and conditions of the destination. The results of the test will take time and the ministry sought the public’s patience.

Swab tests can be carried out at Berakas Health Centre and Sports Complex of the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital.

At Berakas Health Centre, the tests are available from 8am to noon and 2-4pm from Monday to Thursday and Saturday.

On Friday, Sunday and public holidays, the tests are conducted from 2-5.30pm.

Swab tests at the Sports Complex of the RIPAS Hospital are conducted from 7am-10pm daily, except on public holidays.

In its breakdown of COVID-19 cases in the country, healthinfo.gov.bn revealed that there were 113 cases in the Brunei-Muara District, 27 in the Belait District and six in the Tutong District.

Information can be obtained from MoH official website at www.moh.gov.bn, Health Advice Line at 148 or through the BruHealth app or healthinfo.gov.bn web app.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Launched in 2013, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) is the United States (US) government’s signature programme to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia.

YSEALI Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA) annually gathers women leaders from ASEAN to promote building economic capacity through international best practices. To date, the Brunei Alumni Network comprises 15 women leaders since Brunei’s first participation in the academy in 2016.

As part of this year’s Brunei YSEALI WLA Alumni Network follow-on projects, the Virtual Youth Programme on Women’s Leadership is ongoing from October 1-18. It is sponsored by the US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam.

The programme comprises core and optional sessions conducted by five local and three international (Malaysia and Singapore) speakers. The organising committee also acts as the facilitators and moderators for all the sessions. The core sessions include virtual workshops, a sharing session as well as in-person sessions; mentorship, networking activities. The optional session was a visit to the Women’s Prison Institution in Jerudong last Saturday.

Twenty applicants – women aged 19-29 from diverse backgrounds had been selected to participate in the programme. Their backgrounds range from currently not working, self-employed, working in the private and public sectors to students from local and international universities.

The programme’s opening session was held via Zoom on October 1.

In her opening remarks, the programme’s Project Lead and Brunei Country Lead at the YSEALI WLA Alumni Network 2020 Nazurah Noor said, “The programme aims to realise their personal capabilities and enhance their leadership knowledge and skills; empower by providing support for their personal growth and professional development; and foster collaboration between participants, speakers and the community.”

Acting Public Affairs Officer at the US Embassy Paul Estrada was present.

The opening session was followed by an ice-breaker session between participants. The programme continued with a workshop on Introduction to Gender Theory and Concepts by Malaysian speaker Professor Dr Noraida Endut.

The following week the participants underwent different workshops on Women’s Health: Leadership Matters by Professor Dato’ Dr Rashidah Shuib from Malaysia; Mindfulness 101 by local speaker Nadzirah Suhaimi from More to Bloom Mindfulness; Kepimpinan Wanita dalam Islam by Dr Hajah Ummi Fa’izah Rahman from Syababul Iman of Sultan Sharif Ali Mosque and Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA); and Sharing Session by Noorhafizah Rashid from Big BWN.

The second week concluded with a visit to the Women’s Prison Institution in Jerudong last Saturday where they learnt the roles and functions on the Women’s Prison Institution, witnessed demonstrations on canning based on Civil and Syariah Laws, tour around Women’s Prison and Prisons Department Gallery.

Representatives from Women’s Prison Institution Deputy Commanding Officer Hajah Rosni binti Kurus and Head of Reception and Release Section Siti Saharah binti Ahmad were present.

The programme will conclude this week with three virtual and one in-person workshops as well as three in-person activities over the weekend. The closing ceremony will be held on Sunday at Silaturrahim Hall, Youth Centre.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Rokiah Mahmud

BND104,300 were contributed to six families and 77 mosques, suraus and religious halls across the country in a ceremony held by Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah yesterday.

Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud in his capacity as the member of Board of Directors of Yayasan and Chairman for the Aid Review Committee of Yayasan handed over the donations and contributions.

Permanent Secretary (Planning, Land Use and Environment) at the Ministry of Development Dr Nor Imtihan binti Haji Abdul Razak in her capacity as the Acting Managing Director of Yayasan was also present.

Six families from house fire incidents received financial assistance totalling BND22,600. The heads of the families received the donation. They were Pengiran Johari bin Pengiran Matasan from Kampong Tanah Jambu; Wee Tza Shen from Kampong Sungai Hanching; Hajah Badariah binti Mamudin of STKRJ Kampong Rimba; Hajah Rokiah binti Haji Murni of Kampong Kilanas; Hamdi bin Admin from Kampong Sungai Buloh and Sardini binti Mohd Salleh of RPN Tanah Jambu.

Yayasan also contributed financial aid to 77 mosques, suraus and religious halls amounting to BND81,700. Out of the figure, 35 comprised mosques, suraus and religious halls in Brunei-Muara District, 22 in the Tutong District, eight in Belait District and 14 in Temburong District.

The contributions were received by Imams of the mosques, suraus and religious halls.

Borneo Bulletin Online

James Kon

Datastream Digital Sdn Bhd (DST) notched yet another significant milestone yesterday with the launch of the first of its kind InnoConnect, a digital highway allowing access to services seamlessly and in real time.

Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohammad Yusof officiated the launch at DST Headquarters.

InnoConnect is a modular, easy-to-use and secure data exchange platform.

It is also a core digital infrastructure component in DST’s path to digital transformation.

The minister said, “With the launch of InnoConnect service today, Alhamdulillah, I am pleased to see a whole-of-nation approach at play, powering the digital transformation in Brunei Darussalam further. I was made to understand that the InnoConnect service is a platform that connects various stakeholders, and allows partnership opportunities for co-creation of products and services together with DST.

“This is indeed a very encouraging initiative that fully supports the Digital Economy Masterplan 2025. Clearly there is strong alignment of DST’s InnoConnect service with the masterplan, particularly on the need for a Smart Nation platform that is crucial to supporting seamless service delivery among government agencies, businesses and citizens. My heartiest congratulations to DST on this initiative, and thank you for letting me be a part of this journey!,” he said.

Meanwhile, DST Chief Executive Officer Radin Sufri bin Radin Basiuni said, “InnoConnect is the translator, workflow manager, gap closer, the in-between for communities, services, platforms, databases and more significantly the conduit for future innovations into an ever growing digital ecosystem. To unlock the full potential of the platform ecosystem, InnoConnect can be complimented by the use of our omni-channel customer interactions to service the public and private sectors.”

DST understands that in this new digital age, getting connected to services with just a few clicks provides great convenience and is of importance to customers. DST leverages this opportunity on InnoConnect to see how services can be delivered better, how to avoid duplication of efforts, make better use of data, and deliver services digitally.

InnoConnect provides a service delivery framework to share the right information and seamlessly share information, while at the same time protect the information securely.

With the launch, DST will be able to support the public and private sectors to enable seamless connectivity, interoperability and portability across complex ecosystem-based services. By bridging the gap, it is able to transform how individuals, business and service providers interact with each other, making it easier to reach out to all Bruneians.

Also in attendance at the ceremony were Legislative Council member and Digital Economy Council member Yang Berhormat Nik Hafimi binti Abdul Haadii, officials from the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications and members of DST Board of Directors.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Lyna Mohamad

As part of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam’s (AMBD) continuous efforts and commitment to support the development of Islamic finance and the financial services in the country, the organisation has been taking steps towards creating conditions conducive to the development of the interbank market ecosystem.

This is in line with the Brunei Darussalam Financial Sector Blueprint (FSBP) 2016-2025, said AMBD Managing Director Hajah Rokiah binti Haji Badar yesterday in her welcoming remarks at the signing ceremony of the AMBD Islamic Bills (AMBD I-Bills) Programme with banks in Brunei Darussalam yesterday.

Minister of Home Affairs cum Deputy Chairman of AMBD Board of Directors Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong attended the signing at the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MoFE).

Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud as well as Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah also attended.

AMBD Board of Directors, members of the Syariah Financial Supervisory Board and senior officers from the MoFE, AMBD and financial institutions also witnessed the signing.

Hajah Rokiah represented AMBD, while signing on behalf of the respective banks were Ti Eng Hui (CEO of Baiduri Bank Group), Mubashar Khokhar (CEO of Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad); Wang Xiaolin (General Manager of Bank of China (Hong Kong), Sulaiman Isa (General Manager of Malayan Banking Berhad, Brunei Branch), Haji Ishak bin Othman (Country Head of RHB Bank Berhad, Brunei Branch), Abdul Razak bin Abdul Malek (Senior Vice President and Country Manager of United Overseas Bank Limited, Brunei Branch) and Annie Ng Sew Foon (Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer of Standard Chartered Bank).

The ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa.

Hajah Rokiah also shared that AMBD embarked on the establishment of the Domestic Money Market Project (consisting three milestones) in 2017.

Under the first deliverable, AMBD issued a notice to introduce an averaging mechanism to the Minimum Cash Balance (MCB) requirement which provided banks with greater flexibility in their daily liquidity management.

The following year, AMBD introduced the Syariah-compliant and conventional overnight standing facilities, aimed at facilitating the smooth functioning of the financial system through the lending/funding facilities and deposit/acceptance facilities.

The introduction of these facilities also created a level playing field for both Islamic and conventional banks in Brunei Darussalam and the tenor for the facilities are on an overnight basis, offered to licensed banks in the country, she added.

AMBD I-Bills Programme is the third and final deliverable under the project, to further support the effective and efficient liquidity management for the banks and at the same time, widen the list of available money market instruments for AMBD and the domestic financial sector.

The inaugural AMBD I-Bills will be based on the Syariah concept of Wakalah bil Ujrah, which is the first Syariah structure of its kind to be used for Sukuk issuance in Brunei Darussalam.

The introduction of AMBD I-Bills will be part of the short-term benchmark yield curve, said the managing director, adding that it is hoped to be able to facilitate the development of other financial instruments in Brunei Darussalam, particularly Syariah-compliant ones.

Prior to the signing, a presentation on Sukuk Development in Brunei Darussalam was delivered by Acting Assistant Managing Director (Monetary Operations) at AMBD Mardini bin Haji Eddie.

He said the AMBD I-Bills will have a tenor of two weeks and issuance will be available to licensed banks in the country.

The first issuance of the AMBD I-Bills will be on October 22.

Borneo Bulletin Online

James Kon

The establishment of Cyber Security Brunei (CSB) is hoped to spur interest in careers as cybersecurity experts and professionals among local youth, said Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohammad Yusof.

During the launching of the DST InnoConnect Service at the DST Headquarters in Jalan Tungku Link yesterday, the minister said, “It is our upmost priority to ensure a safe and secure cyberspace for Brunei Darussalam.

“With this in mind, I am pleased to share with you that His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has consented to the establishment of Cyber Security Brunei, as the national cybersecurity agency for Brunei Darussalam.”

Headed by an interim Commissioner, the CSB started operations on August 1, 2020.

“The CSB serves as the agency that monitors and coordinates national efforts in addressing cyber security threats as well as cyber crimes. It is through CSB that strategies, policies and framework governing cybersecurity are formulated and implemented with the relevant critical information snfrastructures (CIIs) as the main constituents.

“The formation of CSB is timely, as one of the key strategic enablers in our digital transformation journey towards making Brunei Darussalam as a Smart Nation. With its vision of ensuring a secure and resilient cyberspace for the nation, the CSB is now carrying out three main services, namely BruCERT (Brunei Computer Emergency Response Team), National Digital Forensic Laboratory and Cyber Watch Centre (CWC).

“With CSB as the country’s forefront agency for a safer and secure cyberspace, I hope that it will encourage more agencies, organisations and users alike to come up with more innovation and participate in digital economy initiatives with more confidence,” he said.

The minister shared three key takeaways in the recent Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW) which he attended virtually.

“First, COVID-19 has globally accelerated digital transformation. This is also very true in the case of Brunei Darussalam. With the support of the industry players and the private sector, we have seen how our digital agenda has been actually accelerated. Alhamdulillah, this includes the usage of new technologies such as AI and big data for policy consideration and management.

“Secondly, the growth in demand for digital connectivity. In managing the impacts of COVID-19, digital services and platforms have become the solution amidst restriction measures and disruption in the logistics chain. As a result, the need for digital connectivity has become more evident to enable essential services such as online education and working from home.

“For Brunei Darussalam, we are also experiencing a surge in demand. Up to July 2020, the demand for fixed broadband and bandwidth utilisation has increased by 32 per cent and 52 per cent respectively.

“Thirdly – cybersecurity. While it has always been at the forefront, the importance of cybersecurity has become more significant especially after COVID-19. Cybersecurity threats and incidents have become more evident with opportunistic and irresponsible actors launching cybersecurity attacks to disrupt critical services and systems. Malicious activities such as phishing and scams capitalising on COVID-19 have also increased, feeding on public anxiety and uncertainty of the situation.

“At the regional level, collaboration in cybersecurity in ASEAN has also been elevated to increase the region’s preparedness and capacity in cybersecurity. In line with these regional and international developments, Brunei Darussalam is also implementing policies and initiatives for our readiness in cybersecurity.”

The CSB official website, which went live yesterday, can be accessed at www.csb.gov.bn.

Borneo Bulletin Online

James Kon

Since June, the Health Enforcement Unit has carried out inspections on 967 business premises nationwide, during which 574 violations were found and compound fines issued.

The common offences include lack of mask use among food handlers, and failure to conduct temperature checks on customers and visitors.

The worrying number of violations was revealed by Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar in a press conference held at the Ministry of Health (MoH).

“The Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the situation of the outbreak at the national, as well as regional and global levels, and carry out ongoing risk assessments to consider further mitigation measures,” he said.

“If the outbreak situation becomes alarming yet again, the Ministry of Health will not hesitate to tighten the social distancing measures that need to be taken to control the outbreak.

“The Ministry of Health will notify the public of any changes to this situation, if necessary, from time to time.”

The minister also reminded the public to perform their social responsibilities by maintaining personal hygiene, observing proper cough and sneeze etiquette, using a face mask in crowded public places, and to avoiding public places and social gatherings if feeling unwell.

“The public is required to comply with all regulations and directives related to the reduction of social distancing measures that have been issued and are still in force at the moment, such as the use of the BruHealth application and the scanning of the QR Code when entering and exiting premises, especially in public areas such as shopping malls, retail shops, restaurants, beauty establishments, barber shops and others,” he said.

“Premise owners are required to print and display their QR code at their entrances. The public is urged to take the usage of the BruHealth application seriously, particularly in the scanning the QR Code, as it will be used by the MoH for contact tracing purposes in the event of an outbreak of infection.”

Failing to comply with the issued directives is an offence under the Infectious Diseases Act (Section 204), which is punishable with a compound fine of up to BND5,000. Offenders also face a fine of up to BND10,000 or jail for a period of up to six months, or both, upon conviction.

“The Ministry of Health will not hesitate to take legal action against anyone who does not comply with the directives issued,” said the minister.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Lyna Mohamad

Fifty-five pints of blood were collected during a blood donation drive hosted by the Department of Postal Services of the Ministry of Transport and Info-communications in collaboration with the Blood Donation Centre of the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital at the Arifah Training Room of the Mail Processing Centre yesterday.

Officers and staff as well as personnel from the Royal Customs and Excise Department participated.

The blood donation drive, conducted in the morning and afternoon, was organised as part of the department’s activities to mark World Post Day 2020 and as part of the initiative to encourage officers and staff to do charity and contribute to the community.

It also aimed to help replenish the hospital’s blood supply and raise awareness on the importance of blood donation as well as a healthy lifestyle.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Lyna Mohamad

A total of 40 members of the Tutong Senior Citizens Activity Centre (PKWE Tutong) recently participated in a cooking programme organised by its Entrepreneurship and Economy Bureau.

The programme was facilitated by the bureau’s Assistant Head Hajah Ainah binti Hulubalang Haji Abdul Wahab who conducted a mee bandung cooking demonstration.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Azlan Othman

The Survey Department yesterday began its eight-day ‘Cadastral Survey’ roadshow at the Community Hall in the Tutong District.

The roadshow is aimed at providing information on Cadastral surveying method to the public on a more effective service, in line with the government’s intention to increase departmental productivity.

Surveyor General at the Survey Department Haji Arefin bin Haji Jaya was the guest of honour.

Personnel from LTS land (Temporary Occupational Licence), BR (Re-measurement), GR (Gazette Measurement -for electricity stations only) and LA (Replacement Land – charged) for Tutong District attended the roadshow.

Tutong District Surveyor Officer Surzana@ Abdul Khaliq bin Bujang said the roadshow is one of the research projects of the department through the ‘Fit for Purpose Methodology Survey Research Project (FFP)’ running from July 2020 to July 2021 for 2021 Prime Innovation Award project policy.

The research project, approved by the Surveyor General on August 20, was also introduced to speed up the surveying process by updating existing surveying methods and initiate a special workflow to improve efficiency and promote Brunei Darussalam in earthwork and Ease of Doing Business progress.

Borneo Bulletin Online

Izah Azahari

The Department of Economic Planning and Statistics (JPES), Ministry of Finance and Economy will conduct the Labour Force Survey (LFS) 2020 (Second Stage) from October 19 to November 15.

JPES Director General Hajah Mariah binti Haji Yahya was the guest of honour at the oath-reading ceremony for the 74 appointed LFS 2020 officers at the Isyraq Hall of the Civil Service Institute (IPA) yesterday.

The main objective of LFS 2020 is to collect the latest information on the size, structure, distribution and characteristics of the labour force, employment, unemployment and other economic characteristics of the population, which will be used to assist in the planning, research, policy-making and management concerning the labour force.

LFS 2020 will involve about 3,200 households throughout the country. The interview will be conducted by the Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) approach, whereby the temporary survey field workers will use tables instead of printed questionnaires during the face-to-face interview of selected households.

This approach has been implemented since LFS 2018, and has helped to reduce the cost and time taken for the survey operations, as well as in facilitating data processing and improving data quality in general.

The LFS is conducted under the Statistics Act, Chapter 81, from the Laws of Brunei Darussalam.

JPES assured that the information collected from selected households during the survey will be kept strictly confidential and will only be used for statistical purposes. JPES has appointed survey officers as supervisors and interviewers to undertake the fieldwork for the survey.

Selected households are reminded to ensure that the interviewers visiting their premises are those appointed by JPES. They can be identified through their survey passes, appointment letters, identity cards and JPES vest.

Results from the LFS 2020 may also be used by the private sector, academia, researchers, students and the public for their respective needs and purposes.

For information, call JPES at 2230265 during working hours, e-mail info.statistics@jpes.gov.bn, or visit the website.

Borneo Bulletin Online

James Kon

The bilateral trade volume between Brunei and the People’s Republic of China reached USD1.26 billion from January to August 2020, a year-on-year increase of 108.5 per cent, People’s Republic of China Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Yu Hong said.

“The cooperation between the two countries in various fields enjoys a more promising future, and is providing more choices for Bruneian students,” she said.

The ambassador made these comments at the launch of a Chinese shelf at Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) Library where 307 books were donated by the embassy yesterday.

The launching ceremony saw the handing over of books by the Chinese Ambassador to UTB Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman.

Yu Hong said, “The Chinese Embassy in Brunei is donating 307 books and videos covering China’s economy, science, technology, literature, art, tourism and others, including the biographies of some well-known figures, such as Jack Ma of Alibaba, Ren Zhenfei of Huawei, Ma Huaten of Tencent. The books also cover some latest scientific and technological achievements in China.”

On the current pandemic and economic situation of China, the ambassador said the epidemic prevention and control in China is stable while the economic operation has also resumed.

“In the just concluded eight-day holiday for the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival, 673 million tourists were received across the country. China’s GDP fell by 6.8 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter and grew by 3.2 per cent in the second quarter, making China the first major economy to resume economic growth since the outbreak.

“From January to August, China’s foreign trade volume increased by 3.6 per cent year- on-year, and foreign direct investment by 6.9 per cent. In August, the three major economic indicators of production, consumption and investment all shifted from negative to positive.

The economy is expected to achieve a medium-to-high growth of five per cent to six per cent in the third quarter,” she added.

She said China and Brunei has a long history of exchanges.

The ambassador added, “The two countries have helped and supported each other both in the fight against the pandemic and in economic development. Brunei offered assistance to China at our difficult time. After the outbreak in Brunei, China played an active role in Brunei’s fight against the epidemic.

“In the economic field, Hengyi Industry, the largest joint venture between China and Brunei, started its full operation, which has extended Brunei’s oil and gas industry chain, created new jobs and played a positive role in the efforts of achieving the goal of economic diversification.

The Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge, with China State Construction Engineering Corporation as a co-constructor, is a new symbol of Brunei’s modernisation.”

With the growth of China-Brunei friendship, UTB has developed closer exchanges with China, she said. “In the past few years, the Chinese Embassy invited UTB teachers and students to visit China. Last year, 13 UTB teachers and students visited China, including universities in Beijing and Xi‘an. Since 2015, 25 UTB students have participated in the Huawei ‘Seeds for the Future’ Programme.

“In March 2020, Huawei Technologies (B) and UTB set up an ICT Academy in Brunei, part of Huawei’s global initiative to support ICT skills development. I believe that with the deepening of bilateral relations, cooperation between UTB and Chinese universities and enterprises will be further strengthened and will make greater contributions to Brunei’s economic development.”

Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah said, “I believe that the Chinese shelf can contribute in our efforts to develop students into global citizens who appreciate culture, viewpoints and are sensitive to issues affecting the global community. These books can help promote the understanding between both countries and bring the bilateral cooperation forward to a higher level.

“UTB and the People’s Republic of China enjoy a good relationship through students and staff cultural exchange and industrial collaboration. We hope we can maintain and establish more collaboration in the future.”

Sharing the facilities at the library, she noted that the UTB library has a modest collection of nearly 34,000 volumes of books and approximately 1,000 units of media collection. The library also has two online databases – Scopus and Science Direct. Science Direct provide online access to 701 journal titles and 11,872 titles of e-books. Even with the availability of campus-wide and online resources, the library remains an important part of student life on campus and attracted more than 33,000 visitors last year.

Borneo Bulletin Online

James Kon

Brunei Darussalam reported one new imported case of COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 147.

The latest and currently only active COVID-19 case in the country was disclosed by Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar during a press conference yesterday, at the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) Al-‘Afiah Hall.

“Case 147 is a foreign woman aged 25, who arrived in Brunei Darussalam on Royal Brunei Airlines BI874 flight (seat 42C) on October 7, 2020, from Nepal.

“She reportedly had coughs since October 11, 2020, and is currently being treated and monitored at the National Isolation Centre (NIC),” the minister said.

“The Ministry of Health has identified a total of three contacts, all of whom have undergone the COVID-19 swab test and were confirmed as negative.

“With the detection of this latest case, a total of six import cases have been confirmed since the last local infection case was reported on May 6, 2020.

“At present, Brunei Darussalam has recorded 161 days without COVID-19 local infection cases. Meanwhile, out of the COVID-19 cases in Brunei Darussalam, a total of 143 have been confirmed as recovered. ”

The minister also stated that 337 individuals are undergoing mandatory self-isolation at the monitoring centres provided by the government, after arriving in the country from abroad. At present, 6,888 individuals have completed their mandatory self-isolation at the monitoring centres.

In the past 24 hours, 435 samples were tested for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, bringing the total number of laboratory tests conducted since January 2020 to 63,246.

In its breakdown of COVID-19 cases in the country, healthinfo.gov.bn cited 114 cases in the Brunei-Muara District, 27 in the Belait District and six in the Tutong District.

Information and updates can be obtained from the MoH official website at www.moh.gov.bn, the Health Advice Line at 148, or through the BruHealth app or at healthinfo.gov.bn.

Borneo Bulletin Online